When everything settled, Yan Yan stood up and looked at Zhang Rendao with a complicated expression.
"General, you have offended all the local nobles this time. Is there anyone in the court who will be willing to speak for you in the future?"
Zhang Ren's face was not as serious as Yan Yan's. Instead, he looked much more relaxed. He exhaled a long breath.
"Ah~~ It's over. I'm exhausted from competing with these old foxes. I'd rather go back and forth to the military camp ten times. As for the court, don't worry. When it's time to speak for me, he still has to say . Let’s get over this current difficulty first!”
"With these five thousand people, even if they are only used to carry rolling stones and wood, the city's guards can be greatly improved. What do you think of me sending troops to attack Yiling County now and destroy their food roads?"
Yan Yan was startled and quickly advised.
"Zhou Cang and Liao Hua have stationed five thousand soldiers and horses to stay in Yiling. They can also retreat to Qutang Pass. Without tens of thousands of soldiers and horses, it will be difficult to accomplish anything. If the general leads an attack, I'm afraid Ji Shu will attack the city in a large scale, and the gains will not be worth the losses!"
Zhang Ren nodded and agreed.
"Yes, this is also my concern. There is another thing that I can't figure out."
Zhang Ren sat up, leaned forward, and whispered next to Yan Yan.
"The long road to Yiling is not easy to walk! Ji Shu's main force just arrived and set up camp in front of Qutang Pass. Before they could rest, they stormed Qutang Pass the next night."
"Not to mention that they are tired from coming a long way, even to investigate the enemy's situation will take a day or two. I have studied Ji Shu's information. Although he occasionally has surprise troops, his troops are generally used for stability. The battle at Qutang Pass seems to be It’s as if he knows that the defense within the pass is insufficient!”
Yan Yan's mood was like a roller coaster, and he got up again just after he calmed down.
"General, are you saying that there are spies who know our deployment?"
Zhang Ren shook his head and leaned back on the chair.
"I don't know. The plan to ambush the vanguard of the Chu army was not leaked. There should have been a hidden sentry that night that notified the enemy general. The enemy retreated in a hurry. Most of the food and grass fell into our hands, and they also lost more than half. No. Looks like a spy."
"But if there are no spies to deliver the news early, even if the Chu army's spies have thousands of miles of horses galloping on our official roads, there is no reason to be so much faster than us. Before our army had time to return reinforcements, Qutang Pass was forcibly captured by Ji Shu ”
"That's why I said I couldn't understand it."
It was Yan Yan who lost Qutang Pass. He clasped his fists in shame and said.
"It's because the general's defense is poor. He only lasted one night and betrayed the general's trust."
Zhang Ren waved his hands quickly and said impatiently.
"I only left you 5,000 defenders. Ji Shu is five times as strong as you, and there are new catapults to assist you. During the sneak attack, you temporarily lost the city gate and did not have enough troops to recapture it. Is this your fault? It's my chess Just one move away.”
Zhang Ren sighed, and the two were silent for a moment.
After a while, Yan Yan, who had calmed down, said hesitantly.
"Could it be just a coincidence?"
"Perhaps the Chu army was short of food and grass, and Ji Shu was anxious to end the war in Yong'an, so he attacked Qutang Pass overnight."
Zhang Ren leaned on the chair and nodded slightly.
"It's not impossible. Chu State has fought two battles involving 100,000 people in a row. In addition, I burned a lot of grain fields when I attacked Jiangling last year. I'm afraid Chu State has very little granary left. No matter how abundant its treasury is. , gold cannot be turned into food, and if you want to buy food from the north, you will lose a lot of manpower and financial resources."
"The king and the ministers must have seen this, so they refused to accept Chu's peace talks conditions. From this point of view, Chu had to raise troops to prevent the princes from seeing its weakness. Ji Shu may be anxious. ?”
There was a bit of joy on Yan Yan's face.
"The arrow is on the string and must be fired. In this case, we should focus on holding on and relying on the advantages of the city wall to delay time."
"With Baidi City stationed there, the Chu army will definitely not be able to attack the county city with all its strength. And Baidi City is in such a favorable location that no matter how many troops there are, it will be useless. It will be impossible to conquer it in less than three or four months. And at most, it will take a month. The state will send reinforcements. Yong'an City will be exhausted, and it will definitely be exhausted until Chu State runs out of ammunition and food!"
Looking at the excited Yan Yan, Zhang Ren was not so optimistic.
"Reinforcements can't come so quickly. The involvement in the DPRK is far more complicated than you think."
"Li Ping has been coveting my position for a long time, and he will not let go of this opportunity to step on me. Although Zhang Song is my main family member and has the ability, he is timid and fearful, and will not offend Li Ping because of me, a collateral branch. Ping. As for Fazheng, if I can come out of the prison alive this time, he must have put in a lot of effort. If I expect him to help me again, then wouldn’t I, Zhang Ren, be a waste who can’t do anything? "
"Just like what I just said to the heads of those aristocratic families, 'As far as the king is concerned, if Yong'an County is defeated, it can still be fought back.' And I am the same as them. I only have this chance."
Zhang Ren looked at Yan Yan intently.
"If Yong'an exists, then I, Zhang Ren, will live. If Yong'an loses, then I, Zhang Ren, will perish!"
When Yan Yan heard this, he immediately cupped his fists and said.
"Yan swears to follow the general to the death and will keep the Chu people out of the country!"
······
Deng Mansion.
Mr. Deng was sitting at the coffee table drinking tea leisurely, while Xu Zhenghe was pacing back and forth anxiously.
"Oh, Mr. Deng, are you still drinking tea? Are you really going to hand us over like this? That man named Zhang treated us like leeks and cut us off again and again!"
Ah.
Mr. Deng laughed and put down the tea cup.
"Otherwise, what do you want to do? If you don't give it, Zhang Ren won't conscript him? You can hide the person. In the past, everyone wouldn't be at odds with each other. If you are discovered now, be careful that Zhang Ren will give you a "collaboration with the enemy" The charge of treason!"
"Listen to me and give it to him!"
Xu Zhenghe let out a long sigh, sat down listlessly, and poured himself a cup of tea.
"We can give it, but we have to negotiate terms with Zhang, right? For example, if we win this battle, let the court give us some compensation! How can this make our efforts go in vain?"
Hearing this, Duke Deng smiled again and said.
"Don't worry, haven't you received any news?"
"what news?"
Xu Zhenghe raised his eyes and looked at Mr. Deng, wondering.
"You mean, there is news that someone wants to persecute Zhang Ren? I have heard about this, but I don't know who it is. Does this have anything to do with us?"
Deng Gong rolled his eyes at Xu Zhenghe and said.
"Since some people want Zhang Ren to die, can today's incident be brought to the capital? We have contributed to the country, but Zhang Ren does not want to compensate us. Isn't this a clue to the door?"
oh!
Xu Zhenghe nodded and sighed.
"It has to be you!"
"Uh, but what if Yong'an City cannot be defended?"
Deng Gong glared at Xu Zhenghe and said.
"If we can't defend it, then the Chu army has the final say! Why do you think I agreed to Zhang Ren so happily?"
Xu Zhenghe pursed his lips in embarrassment.
"Okay! It's up to you. I'll cooperate. I'll send the list to Zhang Ren tomorrow. Mr. Deng, I'll go back first."
Mr. Deng nodded.
"Butler, help me deliver it to Patriarch Xu. Give Patriarch Xu a portion of the new tea that arrived yesterday."
After Xu Zhenghe left, another middle-aged man suddenly walked in outside the door and sat next to Mr. Deng. Mr. Deng was not surprised and poured a cup of tea for the visitor.
"Master Deng, please do your best to help Zhang Ren defend Yong'an City."
Hearing what the visitor was saying, Deng Gong said impatiently.
"Of course I can do this, but when can you take action?"
The middle-aged man looked a little embarrassed and frowned.
"It's not Fazheng who is causing trouble! Don't worry, Mr. Deng, as long as you fully cooperate with us, even if you lose Yong'an City for a while, when the matter is completed, the young master will not lose a cent of what he promised."
